China to Sign Agreement for Duty-Free Access for Goods from Ghana
From 12 to 16 October 2025, Ghanaian President John Mahama was on a state visit to China. On 14 October 2025, he met with Chinese President XI Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Ghnaian President was invited to China to attend of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women which took place in Beijing from 13 to 14 October 2025. This visit also occurs in the context of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Ghana and China.
The visit was an opportunity to explore and deepen cooperation between Ghana and China. The Chinese side described the visit as a way to ‘foster an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.’ Beijing also underscored the FOCAC Ten-Point Action Plan (#TenActionPlan) as the overarching framework to guide cooperation between China and African countries.
Bilateral discussions included partnership in the sectors of mining, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, fishing, and #digitalization. In the mining sector, both sides agreed to cooperate further to promote sustainable mining and to curb illegal practices. With rich reserves of bauxite, #lithium, graphie, and manganese, Ghana is poised to contribute to the #EnergyTransition.
Mahama congratulated China for the successful organization of the World Leaders’ Meeting on Women which aims to advance causes dear to women around the world. As the #AU Champion for Gender and Development Issues, Mahama pushed for special consideration by China in the allocation of the USD 100 million package to support #WomenEmpowerment and other #GenderEquality Issues in Africa.
Other than #FOCAC, he noted that Ghana is also a signatory of the China’s Belt and Road Initiative (#BRI). Mahama also took note that China has recently launched the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), in addition to the GDI, GSI, and GCI. Mahama took the opportunity to outline some of the economic initiatives of Ghana such as the Big Push, 24-Hour Economy and the new Green City Initiative.
China agreed to provide an additional grant of RMB 200 million — on top of the RMB 200 million provided earlier for a total of RMB 400 million this year — to build the Aflao Market and refurbish the National Theatre in Accra.
In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached USD 11.8 billion. Ghana exports to China mostly oil and minerals ($1.3B) as well as agricultural products sold to China include cocoa, wood, charcoal, rubber and seafood amounting to about USD 50 million. China is the largest trading partner of Ghana and exports machinery, electronics, vehicles, plastics, iron and steel, and many other products to Ghana.
In June 2025, a Ghana-China Business Summit took place in Accra. From 2013 to 2024, the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) recorded cumulated Chinese #FDI amounting to USD 3.9 billion, spanning 424 projects and creating more than 39,000 jobs. During the Presidential Business Forum held at the China World Hotel in Beijing on 14 October 2025, one of the flagship projects announced was the setting up of a USD 150 million glass factory in Ghana.
In order to boost imports from Africa, Xi reiterated China’s new tariff policy for Africa announced at #CAETE2025. All African countries with diplomatic ties with China can enjoy zero-tariff for their exports to China. The two sides plan to sign the zero-tariff agreement by the end of October 2025.
In that spirit, China welcomes Ghana and other countries to take advantage of the upcoming China International Import Expo 2025 (#CIIE2025) in order to showcase their products on the Chinese market.